


this eye expression, this feeling, this nervousness

by lovemarket



Series: stillness in woe [15]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 12:57:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19377166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovemarket/pseuds/lovemarket
Summary: jeno lee’s leather jackets, many piercings and gelled up hair is enough to make chenle shake in his boots. but once the blonde learns that what jeno shows on the outside is completely different than who he is on the inside, chenle finds himself wanting more.





	this eye expression, this feeling, this nervousness

High school was a complicated place. The hierarchy between grades and popularity was extremely tiring, not only to people who ranked low on that list but also staff. Chenle knew exactly where he stood on the pyramid, not quite on the top but he was high up there. Not because everyone liked him… Well, a lot of people liked him but not for the reasons he wanted them to.

 

Chenle had many friends but only because they knew he had money. Anyone who didn’t know the Zhong last name was considered to be living under a rock. He hated it and Chenle didn’t hate many things, except durian and the Lee’s. If Zhong was a renowned last name, then Lee was a notorious one.

 

Everyone in the Lee family attended Neo Tech. Lee Taeyong, Lee Sangyeon, Lee Hyunjae, Mark Lee and now Lee Jeno. He certainly was their brother, with his leather jacket, gelled up hair and noisy motorcycle that he rode to school as soon as he passed his driver’s license test. Most people avoided him but only because he didn’t exactly make it any easier for anyone to approach him. Lee Jeno was one of those ‘ _arrive at school at 8:05am, leave as soon as the dismissal bell rings_ ’ kind of guy.

 

Chenle knew, since freshman year, Jeno was the one person he should immediately walk away from if the older was approaching. However as of late, his opinion of the older teen was starting to change.

  


 

> **_sungie, 14:39: come to the diner w me?_ **
> 
>  
> 
> **_you, 14:40: After school?_ **
> 
>  
> 
> **_sungie, 14:40: no rn_ **
> 
> **_sungie, 14:40: after my soccer practice >:o_ **
> 
>  
> 
> **_you, 14:41: Oh.. Okay._ **
> 
> **_you, 14:41: I’ll wait in the library._ **

  


That text conversation was the catalyst for something Chenle could only read in fiction young adult books.

 

Chenle was minding his own business in the library as promised to Jisung over text. There wasn’t much for him to do since he liked to get homework done in his free periods so the junior decided to get in some extra studying while he waited for Jisung to meet him in the library. The year younger teen should be coming any minute and Chenle hoped he’d walk fast.

 

There was a book he needed to research for his essay so, like any other reasonable student, he searched the shelves for what he needed, keeping to himself when someone approached him.

 

 _Why do they make these shelves so high_? Chenle thought, reaching up to grab the book he couldn’t retrieve. “Need some help?” The voice asked, handing the book to the blonde. Chenle took it, not looking at the person in front of him at first. “Wow… Thanks! I’d be stuck here reaching if it weren’t for you,” he rambled, flipping through the paperback.

 

“No problem.” Chenle looked up to smile at the person who helped him, not realising who it was at first. “Thanks a lot… Lee Jeno.” His voice faltered as the name came out his mouth.

 

 _Lee Jeno has the heart to help someone?_ Chenle thought, the smile on his face quickly disappearing. “W-well, I should go then, I guess. That essay isn’t going to write itself. Thanks… again.” “Yeah. I’ll see you?”

 

Those three words. _I’ll see you_. Would he? See Jeno again? “O-okay.” What was Chenle supposed to do? Say no? Jeno nodded, rounding a corner and disappearing into the bookshelves. 

 

 _I’ll see you_. Where would Chenle see him? When would Chenle see him? Would Jeno be with his leather jacket buddies? Would Chenle be with Jisung or Renjun? What would they do together? Was Jeno going to beat him up? Chenle couldn’t fight! He has noodle arms! His parents would-- 

 

“Earth to Zhong Chenle!” Jisung snapped his fingers in Chenle’s face. “O-oh, Jisung! Great, you’re here, let’s go.” He exhaled, throwing his backpack over his shoulder and rushing out the library with Jisung in hand.

 

“What the hell happened back there? You look more pale than usual. Did you just see a ghost,” Jisung commented, elbowing Chenle’s side. “I think I just did.”

  
  


\---

  
  


Chenle did see Jeno again, in less than likely circumstances. Basketball practice had just ended which meant that Chenle was taking a quick shower in the locker room before he could actually take a better shower in the comfort of his own house. He thought the locker room was empty, since Chenle always waited for everyone to clear out before he did what he needed to do.

 

Besides the pitter patter of the falling shower water, anyone who entered the locker room bathroom would also hear Chenle singing Sober by Lorde as he did his business.

 

As aforementioned, Chenle hadn’t expected anyone else to be in the locker room so when he returned to his locker to change into his second outfit, he’d almost busted his head open from the surprise.

 

“Hey,” was all the year older teen said.

 

“Uhm, hello?” Chenle replied, half of his shirt over his head.

 

Jeno smirked. One that would have students running back to their parents with tears in their eyes but Chenle thought it was quite cute. He thought that Jeno was cute.

 

“I heard you singing. It was nice.” Jeno commented, leaning on the doorframe. “Thanks? I mean… I thought everyone was gone so I… yeah. Uhm, sorry, but what are you doing in here? Exactly?” Chenle couldn’t help but ask. As far as he knew, Jeno was not involved in any extracurriculars therefore he had no reason to stay after the dismissal bell.

 

Jeno shrugged. “I knew you’d have practice.” Chenle crossed his arms. “Doesn’t that sound a little bit stalkerish?” He retorted, stuffing miscellaneous objects into his basketball bag. Jeno chuckled. Chenle liked that sound too. “Maybe so,” Jeno muttered. “I just… I just wanted to see you again.”

 

The confession made Chenle’s heart stop. Huh? Jeno Lee? Wanted to see _him_ , Zhong Chenle, again? This must be some kind of nightmare. Chenle pinched himself for good measure. The pain confirmed that he was _not_ in a dream.

 

When Chenle tugged his basketball bag over his shoulder and approached the locker room exit, Jeno blocked him. Chenle rose an eyebrow in confusion. “Anything else, Jeno?” Chenle asked, trying to step around him. Jeno moved with him.

 

“Are you busy right now?” Jeno asked. The question made Chenle laugh. Yeah he was busy: trying to go home!

 

“Just a little bit. What, you’re planning on taking me to some secondary location where we get food and talk with each other then you drive me home in your car and suddenly we’re dating?” Chenle chuckled, his efforts to leave the locker room to no avail as Jeno was not going to move anytime soon. “Well, that’s what I hoped.”

 

Chenle gave the year older teen in front of him a look. “Where are we going?”

 

Jeno made a confused noise. It reminded Chenle of a video of a dog he had seen on Twitter once. It was cute.

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Seriously,” Chenle nodded, grabbing Jeno by the wrist and pulling him out of the locker room and down the hall.

 

Jeno lets himself get tugged along by Chenle. His confused expression breaks out into a smile, then a straight face. “Wow... I didn’t think I’d get this far.”

 

Chenle laughs. “Well, you did, so, lead the way, pretty boy.”

  


**Author's Note:**

> [twitter](https://twitter.com/dunkyushot)   
> 


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